


My First Mistake

by DarkestImmortal, KitsuWayfinder



Series: White Houses [1]
Category: Glee
Genre: Addiction, Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Carmel High, Child Abuse, Child Neglect, Deviates From Canon, Diet Pills, Drama, Drug Use, Eating Disorders, F/F, F/M, Family Drama, Frenemies, Freshman Year, Friends With Benefits, High School, Loss of Virginity, Love Triangles, M/M, Partying, Physical Abuse, Pre-Series, Private School, Romance, Sex Addiction, Sexual Inexperience, Substance Abuse, Swearing, Twins, Unrequited Love, Vocal Adrenaline!Blaine, Vocal Adrenaline!Kurt, Vocal Adrenaline!Rachel, Vocal Adrenaline!Sebastian, Work In Progress, steroid use
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-03-09
Updated: 2015-03-12
Packaged: 2018-03-17 01:07:24
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,737
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3509486
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkestImmortal/pseuds/DarkestImmortal, https://archiveofourown.org/users/KitsuWayfinder/pseuds/KitsuWayfinder
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Rachel and her friends Sebastian, Jaden, Kurt and Blaine begin high school at Carmel, Rachel is surprised to find that senior Jesse St James, the lead soloist of Vocal Adrenaline seems to have a special interest in her. He can make her rise to the top of Vocal Adrenaline, but what could be the cost? The world of Vocal Adrenaline is a very different world and the five friends realize that they need to stick together if they're going to survive this.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This is really just setting the stage for the big story, which by the way this is in fact focused mostly on St Berry but Kurtbastian and eventually Blainofsky are going to have a HUGE part as well, because along with it being about St Berry it's about the friendship between the five of them. Also a few short warnings, if you're a Klaine fan and reading this and are here for the Klaine ship, it's not going to last and it's going to be brutal - so if you're going to bitch about Klaine then just don't bother reading this unless you're here for something other then Klaine; please remember that people may seem out of character because they are in Vocal Adrenaline. If you have any complaints, I'm sorry, but understand all of the OOC stuff is for a logical reason. If you want to bitch just send me a message, and I'll take it as calmly as possible. 
> 
> Title is from "White Houses" by Vanessa Carlton
> 
> I'll eventually put together a fanmix for this at the end, but expect some bonus songs as I go along, which will be songs I used/referenced in the story or more often the song I listened to a lot while writing the chapter. Not necessary, but it'll give you a taste of what inspires everything that happens. 
> 
> I'm done babbling at you now, enjoy the story :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is really just setting the stage for the big story, which by the way this is in fact focused mostly on St Berry but Kurtbastian and Bladen are going to have a HUGE part as well, because along with it being about St Berry it's about the friendship between the five of them. Also a few short warnings, if you're a Klaine fan and reading this and are here for the Klaine ship, it's not going to last and it's going to be brutal - so if you're going to bitch about Klaine then just don't bother reading this unless you're here for something other then Klaine; please remember that people may seem out of character because they are in Vocal Adrenaline. If you have any complaints, I'm sorry, but understand all of the OOC stuff is for a logical reason. If you want to bitch just send me a message, and I'll take it as calmly as possible. 
> 
> Title is from "White Houses" by Vanessa Carlton
> 
> I'll eventually put together a fanmix for this at the end, but expect some bonus songs as I go along, which will be songs I used/referenced in the story or more often the song I listened to a lot while writing the chapter. Not necessary, but it'll give you a taste of what inspires everything that happens. 
> 
> I'm done babbling at you now, enjoy the story :)

"…And now introducing Carmel Junior High's lead soloists of Choral Passion – RACHEL BERRY AND KURT HUMMEL!"  
  
A young girl walked across the stage. She looked to be about fourteen years old. Her long brown hair hung down her back. She was dressed in a black and rose colored dress with a large bow in the front at her waist, and the outfit was completed by a pair of black flats. She reached the middle of the stage along with a few other identically dressed teenagers. A boy also entered the stage dressed in a pair of black pants and a black button up shirt with a rose colored jacket and tie. His brown hair was neatly combed and his glasz eyes were full of emotion. The pianist began to play the melodic intro to "At the Beginning".  
  
They say that every town has a little girl with a big nose, and a talent to match. Well, for Carmel Junior High this was true. Everyone knew that Rachel Barbra Berry was born to be a star. Vocal Adrenaline and Shelby Corcoran were proud to have her, or at least they would be – come the fall of 2008. Jesse St James knew that this year Vocal Adrenaline would not just be the top Glee Club in the country, as of this year they'd be the best in the world. Next year, the junior high's best performers, Kurt Hummel, Sebastian Smythe, and Rachel Berry, would be members of Vocal Adrenaline along with a boy who would be going into eighth grade but would be taking extra classes at the high school, Blaine Anderson. With those four and Jesse St. James himself, there is no one that would ever be able to defeat them.  
  
Rachel looked over and grinned at her best friend Kurt Hummel. They had been in this together for their entire lives and now here they were performing at graduation. Rachel's life was all about her future and every step that she went brought her closer and closer to her future – Broadway, New York, Barbra. Kurt understood her incredible drive; he was the only one who ever did. "So that's Miss Rachel Berry?" Jesse said as he turned to look over at his partner who sat next to him. Andrea and Jesse were the soloists of Vocal Adrenaline; both were going to be headed into their junior years at Carmel Prepatory High School. They had been keeping an eye on the young Jewish superstar ever Jesse had given her voice lessons a few years ago after the pair met in a ballet class. Five years of watching the girl and now they'd finally be able to receive their prize. "Damn, how she has grown." Jesse licked at his lips, a smirk on his lips as he looked at her.  
  
He saw the glare that Andrea was giving him; obviously she knew exactly what he meant when he said that. Andrea had known Jesse for long enough to be able to know exactly what he was thinking and to know that his mind was filled with nothing but dirty thoughts. "Shut the fuck up, Jesse, they're about to start the song."  
  
Rachel stepped to the front of the stage and turned to look at Kurt with a smile appearing upon her face. She grabbed a hold of his hand, and Jaden St James – Jesse’s younger brother, began playing the introduction on the piano.  
  
_"We were strangers, starting out on a journey,_  
_Never dreaming, what we'd have to go through._  
_Now here we are, and I'm suddenly standing_  
_at the beginning with you."_  
  
Rachel had a loud melodic voice, something that sounded like some sort of mix of Natalie Wood and Barbra Streisand. It was beautiful. She and Kurt looked right together, you could practically feel the chemistry fill the room. Now Kurt had turned to look at Rachel, looking deep into her eyes, still holding onto her hand.  
  
_"No one told me I was going to find you,_  
_Unexpected what you did to my heart."_  
  
Kurt Hummel's voice was unlike one that Jesse had ever heard before. A counter tenor, a boy who must have taught himself how to sing high simply by singing to show tunes…from the sound of his voice, Jesse noticed it sounded suspiciously like the voice of one Idina Menzel…he must have based his song off of Wicked. At the next part of the song, both had now started singing together.  
  
_"When I lost hope you were there to remind me,_  
_This is the start."_  
  
With the end of that line, Kurt's hand extended out and the curtains opened revealing a large group of people dressed just like them. Among them were a few of the other members that Jesse had been sent to watch seventh grader Blaine Anderson and eighth grader Sebastian Smythe. The groups had begun to do their choreography, being led by Rachel and Kurt.  
  
_"And life is a road that I wanna keep going._  
_Love is a river, I want to keep flowing._  
_Life is a road, now and forever, wonderful journey._  
_I'll be there when the world stops turning,_  
_I'll be there when the storm is through._  
_In the end I want to be standing At the beginning with you."_  
  
The choreography was very difficult and intense for a group of seventh and eighth graders, but of course that had always been the way that Carmel had done it. The chorus ended with the boys dipping their female partners in a style of SLOW dance. After that it was once again Rachel's turn to sing. She circled Kurt as she sang the lyrics.  
  
_"We were strangers, on a crazy adventure."_  
  
Kurt responded with the next two lines of the song, pulling Rachel close to him and holding onto her waist.  
  
_"Never dreaming, how our dreams would come true.”_  
  
The two began to sing together once again, Kurt dipping her and spinning her with the song.  
  
_“Now here we stand, unafraid of the future._  
_At the beginning with you_  
  
_And life is a road that I wanna keep going._  
_Love is a river, I wanna keep flowing._  
_Life is a road, now and forever, wonderful journey._  
_I'll be there when the world stops turning,_  
_I'll be there when the storm is through._  
_In the end I wanna be standing_  
_At the beginning with you."_  
  
After the second round of the chorus, Kurt had now pulled Rachel into a mix of ballet and ballroom; he lifted her as the two of them sang loudly and clearly.  
  
_"Knew there was somebody somewhere_  
_A new love in the dark._  
_Now I know my dream will live on._  
_I've been waiting so long,_  
_Nothing's going to tear us apart._  
  
_And life is a road that I wanna keep going._

 _Love is a river, I wanna keep flowing._  
_Life is a road, now and forever, wonderful journey_  
_I'll be there when the world stops turning,_  
_I'll be there when the storm is through._  
_In the end I wanna be standing_  
_At the beginning with you.”_  
  
Jaden had now switched places with another member, Blaine Anderson. Blaine now was playing the piano, and Jaden was playing a guitar.  
  
_“Life is a road and I wanna keep going._  
_Love is a river, I wanna keep going on.”_  
  
Now Rachel had moved away from Kurt and was in the dead center, about to sing a single line.  
  
_“Starting out on a journey.”_  
  
The line sent shivers down Jesse’s spine, she wasn’t belting it but it was so filled with such complex emotion.  
  
_“Life is a road that I wanna keep going._  
_Love is a river, I wanna keep flowing._  
_In the end I want to be standing_  
_At the beginning with you."_  
  
Jaden and Blaine both were now at the piano, playing the last bit of the song, and then the curtain fell. Rachel and Kurt both stood next to each other grinning widely. Kurt gripped onto Rachel's hands and jumped up and down. "That was amazing, we were amazing!" He yelled, pretty much squealing with happiness, "Oh my god, Rach, we need to celebrate, facials and appletinis tonight at my house." Rachel grinned happily. "Yes!"  
  
"Well lady face, congratulations on another successful solo of doing nothing but making Rachel look good."  
  
Kurt turned his head to see Sebastian Smythe looking back at him sneering like the criminal chipmunk he was. "Of course that's not too hard to do when you're as untalented as you," the young boy growled, glaring hard at the rich boy.  
  
Rachel eyed her friend curiously, and then looked back at Sebastian. "Screw off, Bas or I'll tell everyone just what hot piece of ass you've been having wet dreams about since performance camp two summers ago." Rachel then turned to grin at Kurt again. "Come on Kurt, let's go, I gotta go find the dads and let them know that I'll be staying at your house tonight."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bonus Song: At the Beginning by Richard Marx feat. Donna Lewis (from the Anastasia soundtrack)
> 
> This is a good beginner song for me and I love imagining Kurt and Rachel singing this. It also has always given me lots of St Berry feels. :)
> 
> Next chapter will hopefully be up soon :)


	2. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for the reviews and love so far! I know that it's a bit of a slow start, and I know Jaden seems to want to keep Rachel away from Jesse...which won't really change...but Jesse will get better ;) 
> 
> The bonus song for this chapter is Fifteen by Taylor Swift.

Chapter One

Rachel walked through the large metal doors of Carmel Preparatory High School for the first time in her life. She dressed in the classic school uniform of Carmel; a white button up shirt with a blue and black tie, a black blazer with blue marking on it along with the Carmel insignia, and a black skirt complete with black flats. Rachel felt nervous at the idea of starting from the bottom again after making her mark on Carmel Junior High.

The first three days went by in a blur. Rachel went through her usual routine of ballet classes and theater rehearsals. Yet Rachel hadn’t quite found her spark as she began her life in high school.  
In fact, she tried to blend into the background, which was completely unlike her. She wasn’t used to not being the best, which tore her apart inside.

Jaden St. James noticed the turmoil Rachel was in. Even though he was only a freshman, Jaden had a famous last name. His older brother, Jesse St. James, was the most popular guy in school. The difference between Jaden and Jesse was how much Jaden cared about others, especially Rachel. Jaden had been Rachel’s childhood best friend. She adored him, though not in the way he wanted her to.

“Guess who?” Jaden asked as he came up behind Rachel and covered her eyes.

“Jay!” Rachel turned with a grin, hugging her best friend tightly. Jaden hugged Rachel back tightly. Rachel was happy to see that Jaden was doing well. Jaden had struggled a lot with his self-image over the years. He’d lost a lot of weight when they were in junior high, but he looked healthier now.

“Are you ready for auditions today?” Jaden asked as he tugged at the backpack on his shoulder. He’d been helping Rachel prepare as much as he possibly could. He’d do absolutely anything for her. It was just a shame that Jaden’s feelings for the Jewish girl would remain unrequited.

“Hey sexy, where’ve you been?” Sebastian said as he appeared out of nowhere. Rachel turned her head to see the taller boy poking at Jaden’s side. Sebastian was friends with both of them, though he seemed to enjoy hitting on Jaden. Rachel was pretty positive that Sebastian didn’t mean anything by it. Jaden claimed he was bisexual, but Rachel had honestly never seen him interested in anyone. He was always far too busy focusing on school and performing. It was probably why Rachel and Jaden were so close – they were both type A and strived for perfection.

“God Seb, do you need to hit on everyone?” Rachel sighed as she rolled her eyes. She then giggled when she noticed Blaine and Kurt walking down the hall. Now Rachel’s little gang of misfit toys were all here. Rachel met Sebastian at performance camp two summers ago. Rachel had bonded with the flirtatious twit somehow and grew used to his personality quirks. Kurt was the Glinda to Rachel’s Elphaba, and Blaine was her little gay duet partner. Her and Jaden were friends with everyone, but the other three boys weren’t exactly on friendly terms. Sebastian and Kurt insulted each other on a daily basis. Also, there was something really weird going on between Kurt and Blaine. Rachel didn’t know the details, but she felt very strongly that she was onto something. She couldn’t read minds or anything, but she was a little bit psychic. Her sixth sense hasn’t failed her yet.

While the boys chatted, Rachel headed on over to her locker. She looked over and saw Jesse St. James. They locked eyes for a moment, but then he went back to what he was doing. He was talking to Zoe Everhart, who Rachel also immediately recognized – she was the girlfriend of Jesse’s twin sister, Jessica.

“Buzz off, Jesse,” Zoe said with a roll of her eyes, flipping her long dark hair over her shoulder. She gave a small smirk as she saw Jessica turning the corner. She was wearing her school uniform, albeit with her own alterations. She added a pair of fishnet leggings and black leather boots to the look. 

“He bothering you, Z?” Jessica asked as she kissed her girlfriend on the cheek.

Jesse rolled his eyes back. “Why hello Elphaba. Shouldn’t you be off playing with your flying monkeys?” he retorted with dripping sarcasm. Jessica simply smiled at Jesse and flipped him off. She took her girlfriend’s hand in her own and walked hand in hand with her down the hall.

Jesse then glanced towards Rachel. “Oh. Hey. Berry, right?” he asked, his eyes raking over the girl’s form. She was small and honestly didn’t have the best boobs, but she was cute. Plus he’d heard her sing, and he knew she was good.

Rachel nodded. “Um yeah…and you’re Jesse St. James. Jaden’s told me lots about you. It’s been a long time since those voice lessons.” Rachel had first met Jesse when she was only twelve. He’d given both her and Jaden private voice lessons. Even back then, she had a crush on the elder St. James.

“You’re auditioning today, right?”

A small smile tugged at Rachel’s mouth. Jesse St. James, the junior male lead of Vocal Adrenaline, was actually interested in her auditioning for Vocal Adrenaline. That had to mean something. She nods her head yes. After weeks of considering her options, she had decided on “A Change in Me” from the Broadway adaptation of Beauty and the Beast. She sang it yesterday to her dads. Rachel loved to use her dads as a tester audience in order to get feedback on her performances. She was trying emulate Toni Braxton’s emotional range when she sang it to  
Tom Bosley in 1999. “Yeah I am...will you be there?”

Jesse smirked. “Of course. As captain of the team, I help choose who makes it to Vocal Adrenaline. So try to impress me.”

“Look Jess, quit trying to scare Rachel out of auditioning.” Rachel turned around. Jaden was standing right behind her with his arms crossed. Rachel knew that Jaden had issues with his brother, since he’d never been quiet about it. Still, it sort of surprised her that Jaden was being so protective of her. After all, it wasn’t like Jesse was doing anything wrong. Not unless Jaden knew something that she didn’t.

“The bell should ring soon. You two don’t want to be late,” Jesse said. He picked up his bag and walked off.

Jaden rolled his eyes. Jesse rarely ever went to class. He wasn’t about to let Rachel become another soulless automaton like the rest of Vocal Adrenaline. All they cared about was performing and crushing the competition. None of them gave any thought to their futures after they graduated Carmel. He and Rachel were going to be different. Jaden was going to make sure of it.

Rachel gave her friend a puzzled look. “What was that about, Jay?”

Jaden paused, chewing on his bottom lip as he tried his best to not look at Rachel. He knew girls here didn’t stay away from guys like Jesse until they learned it the hard way, but he didn’t want his brother to turn his best friend into an example. It was one of the many reasons why Jesse disgusted him so much. Being the youngest of five children nothing was easy for Jaden. Rachel was his only solace, and he didn’t want that to change because his older brother managed to seduce her.

“Rach…look just don’t trust him. I know you want to think the best in people, and I know he’s my brother…but Jesse’s not a good guy.” Rachel raised an eyebrow. She was pretty sure that it’s not normal for anyone to think so lowly of their own sibling. Jaden may have a strained relationship with Jesse, but this is just strange. 

Rachel noticed that Jessica and Zoe were still across the hall, giving Jaden a commiserating look. Rachel knew that there was some weird tension among the St. James family. Rachel had met Jacob, the eldest St. James son. She was well aware that Jacob was the black sheep of the family. Jaden told her about the story about how in Jesse’s freshman year, Jacob quit Vocal Adrenaline right before Regionals. Except he was dressed as a woman, claiming he was joining the girl’s roller derby team. Since then, Jacob was a topic that didn’t get mentioned a lot.

“Jay, we need to get to class.” Rachel placed a hand on Jaden’s shoulder as the bell rang. Jaden’s stern expression softened as he looked back at Rachel, giving her a nod. Rachel linked her arms with Jaden’s. It was something she always did whenever she walked with him. Though she had no idea what it did to Jaden whenever she did that. 

The pair of them had their AP Lit class. Rachel was looking forward to this class because the entire first semester was dedicated solely to plays. They walked down to Mr. Sheppard’s class. Jaden pulled Rachel over so she would join him at the front of the class.

Rachel sighed. Jaden was such a perfectionist. He had dreams of not just being the male soloist of Vocal Adrenaline as soon as his senior year came, but also to be valedictorian. Jaden was the type to freak out about getting an A- and then do extra credit until his grade goes up, trying to get to the point where he was even above a 4.0. Jaden could often be a little ridiculous in the academic spectrum.

“Hey there.”

Rachel turned to see where the voice was coming from. Next to her was a pretty girl with shoulder length, bleached blonde hair and brown eyes. She was a lot bigger in the chest department than Rachel was, though that wasn’t difficult at all to achieve. She was leaning back against her desk with a friendly smile on her face. “I’m Alexis Ryan.”

Rachel blinked. There was a reason why her friends were a trio of gay boys...and Jaden. Throughout her entire life, she couldn’t remember ever being friends with a girl. Girls tended to naturally hate something about her.

“Rachel Berry. I don’t think I’ve seen you before. Did you go to Carmel Junior High?” she asked. 

Alexis shook her head. “I went to a public school. I practically begged my dad to let me come here. I kinda wanted to go because of Vocal Adrenaline, but dad knows nothing about that.”

Rachel was confused. It sounded like Alexis’ father didn’t want her to join a show choir for some reason. Which to Rachel was really weird, since her dads wanted nothing more than for her to be in Vocal Adrenaline.

The second bell rang, indicating the beginning of class. Mr. Sheppard walked up to the front of the class with a stack of books in his hands. “Hello class, I’m Mr. Sheppard. You are the select few who were good enough to be chosen to take part in AP Literature. We’ll be spending each month on a new play for the first semester, and second semester we’ll be focusing on actual novels. Your first play is going to be The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare.” 

Jaden had such a manic grin on his face when he heard that. Rachel stared at her nerdy friend. Jaden was the only person in the world who actually got excited about school. School and performing were the only two things that brought out Jaden’s energetic personality. He only came off as a calm person to those who didn’t know him well. Especially those who didn’t pay attention to him in class, and those who weren’t members of Vocal Adrenaline.

Mr. Sheppard passed the books down the row. “Now, Taming of the Shrew is about the relationship between Petruchio and Katherina. Katherina is a headstrong, obdurate ‘shrew’. She initially is stubborn about being in the relationship, but Petruchio begins to temper her by psychologically tormenting her – or taming her – until finally she becomes obedient.”

Alexis rolls her eyes. “That’s disgusting. I’d never get involved with a guy who’d do that sort of shit,” she grumbled. She then looked back at Jaden and winked at him. He didn’t seem like the type of guy who played mind games. He looked like a good guy....and a cute one too. 

Rachel poked Jaden. “I think she likes you,” she whispered to him. Jaden gave Rachel a blank stare. Alexis was really pretty, don’t get him wrong. Yet she wasn’t nearly as gorgeous as Rachel.

“I’d never do that sort of thing to a girl. If you really want to be with someone, you should treat her like a princess.” As Jaden spoke, his eyes drifted over to Rachel. “She should be everything to you. You need to respect her for the person she is…no matter how difficult she may be.”

Rachel’s sixth sense was nagging at her again. Something was going on with Jaden, and she was bound and determined to find out what it was. Maybe he was too shy to talk to Alexis. Wouldn’t it be great if she could play matchmaker and set her best friend up? Jaden would be so thankful. Maybe he’d even name their first daughter after her out of gratitude! While Rachel got lost in thought, she was oblivious that Jaden’s eyes were still fixed on her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed the chapter! I'm going to try to be updating weekly so look forward to the next chapter.

**Author's Note:**

> Bonus Song: At the Beginning by Richard Marx feat. Donna Lewis (from the Anastasia soundtrack)
> 
> This is a good beginner song for me and I love imagining Kurt and Rachel singing this. It also has always given me lots of St Berry feels. :)
> 
> Next chapter will hopefully be up soon :)


End file.
